Titus Statilius Taurus

Titus Statilius Taurus (62 BC-) was Consul of the Roman Republic in 37 BC and 26 BC.

Biography
Titus Statilius Taurus was born in Lucania, Roman Republic in 62 BC, and he acquired a reputation as a novus homo ("self-made man") as a general of Mark Antony. Antony chose him as suffect Consul in 37 BC, and he was sent with a fleet to aid Octavian in the fight against Sextus Pompey, and, after Pompey was driven from Sicily, Taurus secured Africa Proconsularis in North Africa. In 34 BC, he accompanied Octavian on campaign in Dalmatia, and, after Octavian's return to Rome, Taurus remained in command of the troops stationed there. He chose Octavian's side during his war with Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, and he commanded Octavian's land force at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Antony's land forces surrendered rather than fight him, and, in 29 BC, Taurus was sent to Hispania and campaigned against the Cantabri, Vaccaei, and Astures. He was made consul ordinarius in 26 BC alongside Octavian, who had proclaimed himself emperor "Augustus" a year earlire. In 16 BC, he served as praefectus urbi of Rome while Augustus was away from the city, maintaining a private bodyguard of German slaves. His son Titus Statilius Taurus served as consul in 11 AD, as did his third son Sisenna Statilius Taurus in 16 AD.